Southport UMC Newsletter

Dear Friends, We are fast approaching Holy Week and the celebration of Easter.   I want to encourage you to attend all of the special services from Palm Sunday to Easter.   If you have never attended these services I believe it will add immensely to your Easter celebration.   Participation in these services presents the entire picture of the salvation that Jesus provided for each of us. I want to remind you of the worship opportunities that are a part of the Easter season.   ·   We start with remembering Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday.   April 6 & 9 is when we focus on this event.   We will finish the Discipleship Handbook series this week and we will have a special emphasis on the original events of Palm Sunday.   Palm Sunday services are on Thursday, April 6 at 6 pm and Sunday, April 9 at 8:30, 10:00 and 11:15 a.m. ·   On April 13 at 6 p.m. we will have our first service of Easter.   The weekly Thursday       evening worship will focus on

Over 60 people participated in the “How to Study the Bible” class held in March.   Terrific! If you were not able to attend or want a refresher, you can find all of the material (including the audio from each session) here:   http://www.sumc.org/how-to-study-the-bible/ Starting April 3rd, we will start reading the Bible through an intentional reading plan.   We will be reading the New Testament chronologically with some additional Old Testament references included so that we can see how the Old and New Testaments relate.   Commit to reading,    studying and obeying God's Word as we read the New Testament together over the next 4 months. Also, to help us all stay on track in our discipleship, we are starting Life Transformation Groups.   An informational meeting will be held on Wednesday April 5th at 7:00 pm.   Please plan on attending.   If you have not signed up yet, you can sign up on the worship registration card, at Guest Services, by contacting the church offi

The 2017 Fletcher Place Food Drive is about over for Southport United Methodist Church.  Have you gotten to participate??? There is still some time to get your food donations in for delivery to the Fletcher Community Food Pantry.  Our Food Drive is over on April 9th with the last food delivery going to Fletcher Community Center on April 11th.  Be3 sure to write a card of encouragement that will be included with the food bags going out from the Fletcher Place pantry. In Indianapolis, 1 in 5 children go hungry on a daily basis.  In the Fletcher Place neighborhood, the number is closer to 4 out of 5 children experience hunger every day.  Therefore, the need to support Fletcher Place with our Food Drive is critical.  Fletcher Place is a center that services the South side of Indianapolis. The center is located in the Fountain Square area.  Our collection site at Southport will be in the space between the restroom doors in the   Gathering Place.  Watch for the Food Drive sig

The United Methodist Women's groups at Southport UMC are offering all  the following informational opportunities:   April 17, 2017, 9:30  am - 11:30 am  (Monday)      Spring Forum      Christ United Methodist Church, 8540 US Hwy 31 S, Indianapolis, IN 46227      Program:  Rita Gaither-Gant and Mollette Hall..."Kindling New Fires of  Relationships"      An Offering will be taken for Girls, Inc.,  Camp Scholarships  April 29, 2017,  9:00 am - 3:00 pm (Saturday) A "Hearts In Service" program is being held at Southport United Methodist Church....1947 E Southport Road, 46227 "Hearts in Service" program is titled, " A Fearless A.M. With A Fruitful P.M." The ladies from the "HIS" group will present a program in the morning based on Isaiah 43:1-4 (Fearless) and in the afternoon on Galatians 5:22-23 (Fruits of the Spirit).  The program will start at 9 with a continental breakfast.  At lunch, there will be a salad buffet

FLETCHER PLACE COMMUNITY CENTER FOOD PANTRY –  through April 9 Our annual food drive to benefit the Fletcher Place community near downtown ends April 9. Lists of needed food items are at the Food Drive table in the Gathering Place. PRISON MINISTRY Three men from Southport will be serving April 6 – 9 at Plainfield Correctional Facility.   Please remember to pray that weekend for all: those who will be sharing Jesus’ love and forgiveness with others and those who are incarcerated and desire to receive this blessing.   BLOOD DRIVE – Sunday, April 23 It’s time to encourage friends, family members, co-workers and neighbors to join you in giving the gift of life. This is our second Blood Drive for 2017 and the Blood Center requested April 23 so that the appropriate number of days in order to give will be met.   You may schedule a time to give on the Blood Drive form at Guest Services or note your participation on the worship registration cards. Our next Drive will be